The Lord Ayyappa pilgrimage

The news has rapidly spread all
over India : the Lord Ayyappa
will
fulfill
his
pilgrims'
wishes.Every year, in January,
several million pilgrims gather
in Sabrimala.the Lord Ayyappa
pilgrimage is now the key-date
of Hinduism.
Sabrimala, the new Mecca of Hinduism.
Photos and text ©Jean-Baptiste Rabouan/Lightmediation
Contact- Thierry Tinacci Lightmediation agency +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 [email protected]
564-02: Pilgrim on his way to Sabarimala receiving blessing from a sacred elephant at Meenakshee temple Madirai, Tamil Nadu.
564-01: Pilgrim on his way to Sabarimala praying at Meenakshee temple Madirai, Tamil Nadu.
564-02: Pilgrim on his way to Sabarimala receiving blessing from a sacred elephant at Meenakshee temple
Madirai, Tamil Nadu.
564-03: Pilgrim on their way to Sabarimala offering lamps at Meenakshee temple Madirai, Tamil Nadu.
564-04: Head guru of a Sabarimala pilgrims group giving his blessing
564-01: Pilgrim on his way to Sabarimala praying at Meenakshee temple Madirai, Tamil Nadu.
564-05: Martial dancing of Petta-Thullal may become transes difficult to control.
564-06: Sabarimala has become one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage. Martial march of Ayyappa god
devotees.
564-07: Pilgrim armed with the ritual mace for the danced fight between Ayyappa god and Mahishi evil.
564-08: Elephant are opening the pilgrimage by a tour of Vallambalam temple
564-08: Elephant are opening the pilgrimage by a tour of Vallambalam temple
564-09: Martial dancing of Petta-Thullal may become transes difficult to control.
564-10: Dressing like the God with crown, weapons, colors and flowers. Devotees consider themself like
Ayyappa god wariors.
564-11: Ritual bath after ceremonies and martial dancings of Petta-Thullal
564-12: During Pette-Thullal dancings pilgrims go through a mystic ecstasy.
564-09: Martial dancing of Petta-Thullal may become transes difficult to control.
564-13: Strong devotees mortify themself, most of the time, in order to have their wishes realized by the
God.
564-14: Pilgrims aking-up for the ceremonies.
564-15: During the all pilgrimage, devotees are carrying on their head a coco-nut wraped in a coton scarf
564-16: During the wolk, devotees follow auterity and charity rules and always keep their coco nut on their
head.
564-12: During Pette-Thullal dancings pilgrims go through a mystic ecstasy.
564-17: Carrying a coco-nut on the head obliged to keep the backbone straight according to yoga rules.
564-18: Steeply hills, mud and crowd make the walk through jungle very difficult but youth help or carry
elders whenever they feel tired.
564-19: Erumeli, make-up, war cry and martial march as a tribute to the God Ayyappa.
564-20: During the pilgrimage week, pilgrims walk barefoot 6 to 8 days through Periyar jungle up to
Sabarimala hill.
564-13: Strong devotees mortify themself, most of the time, in order to have their wishes realized by the God.
564-21: On the eighteeth time pilgrimage the pilgrim carry a coco-nut tree instead of a simple coco-nut.
564-22: Father and his youg child. despite difficulties pilgrims come with their families but women have to
go a different way.
564-23: Night and day the crowd walk towards Sabarimala hill temple each pilgrim carrying a coco-nut on
his head. Crossing Azhuta river.
564-24: There is no infrastructure to make the walk confortable and to protect against tigers, leopards or
elephants...
564-17: Carrying a coco-nut on the head obliged to keep the backbone straight according to yoga rules.
564-25: There is no infrastructure to make the walk confortable and to protect against tigers, leopards or
elephants...
564-26: Each pilgrim drop a stone from Azuhtha river.
564-27: Preparing light offering at Pampa river. Group may build huge raft.
564-28: Guru swami meditating the mandala at Pampa.
564-24: There is no infrastructure to make the walk confortable and to protect against tigers, leopards or elephants...
564-29: Light offering at Pampa river. Group may build huge raft.
564-30: Light offering with a illuminated raft going down the river.
564-31: During 6-8 days, a human line walk continiously towards Sabarimala hill.
564-32: For hindus, the sacred coco-nut they offer at the end of the pilgrimage is very special.
564-27: Preparing light offering at Pampa river. Group may build huge raft.
564-33: Long pilgrim queue to offer the coco-nut at the temple. In the background, tons of coco-nuts are
burnt.
564-34: On Sabarimala temple hill, pilgrims are rushing to Ayyappa temple and very quicly the line becomes
a compact crowd.
564-35: On Sabarimala temple hill, pilgrims are rushing to Ayyappa temple and very quicly the line becomes
a compact crowd.
564-36: Near by Ayyappa temple an impressive human wave is rushing.
564-32: For hindus, the sacred coco-nut they offer at the end of the pilgrimage is very special.
564-37: Ayyappa temple and it's 18 golden steps : 1st time coming the pilgrim breaks his coco-nut on the
1st step, 2nd time, 2nd step...
564-38: Ayyappa temple and it's 18 golden steps : 1st time coming the pilgrim breaks his coco-nut on the
1st step, 2nd time, 2nd step...
564-39: The1st time coming pilgrims break their coco-nut on the 1st step, 2nd time, 2nd step...
564-40: Guruswami praying at Sabarimala.
564-41: Ayurvedic medicine massage given to the pilgrims.
564-43: Portrait of a pilgrim saying that he was handicapped and became able to walk thanks to the God.
564-42: Praying at night at Pampa before the last climb to the temple
564-42: Praying at night at Pampa before the last climb to the temple
Sabrimala, the new Mecca of
Hinduism.
The news has rapidly spread all over India : the Lord Ayyappa will fulfill
his pilgrims' wishes. Within a few years this confidential Hinduist
pilgrimage has turned into the largest one. Every year, in January,
several million pilgrims gather in Sabrimala. There are scores of stories
of "miracles". Says Jai Dev Rao : "My wife couldn't bear a child so I
made up my mind to go on this pilgrimage : thanks to the Lord Ayyappa
I have got a son." Bela Krishna says : "Being disabled, I was crawling
on the ground for my first pilgrimage, Ayyappa healed me and I came
back walking!" And yet, the pilgrimage, if it is undertaken according to
rule, is far from easy. It requires 41 days of austerities: walking
bare-foot, a vegeterian diet, sleeping on a mat on the ground, strict
chastity... The pilgrim will have to trek along a 57-km trail in the midst of
the jungle, carrying a bag with a coconut on his head until he reaches
the Lord Ayyappa's temple on the hill of Sabrimala. There he will break
a coconut on the golden steps of the sanctuary. Lord Ayyappa's temple
is open one month a year and the pilgrims rush particularly during the
holy week at the end of which the Lord's light is supposed to shine.
Processions of richly adorned elephants, mystical dancing, Brahman
rituals... the Lord Ayyappa pilgrimage is now the key-date of Hinduism.